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In the digital age, the miniaturization of portable ultrasound equipment has brought both opportunities and challenges to the healthcare industry. Handheld ultrasound (HHU) devices are tablet or smartphone-sized scanners that are highly portable, have lower costs, produce no harmful side effects, and consume less power, making them suitable for use in different environments. HHU devices are primarily designed for new users of ultrasound scanners with varying backgrounds to evaluate different structures of the human body in various clinical settings. HHU applications based on Fifth-generation (5G) wireless network communication and artificial intelligence (AI) technology provide new healthcare solutions. The main application scenarios for HHU devices currently include in-hospital use, remote medical treatment, emergency rescue, and home monitoring. These scenarios allow for rapid image acquisition and real-time image interpretation, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare, reducing medical costs, and improving the allocation and utilization of medical resources. However, there remain some technical challenges and weaknesses such as device safety, data privacy, and network stability. With the continuous integration of AI technology, HHU applications will find wider use and promotion, bringing about more opportunities and challenges to the healthcare industry. This article reviews the application experience and insights of 5G technology in the field of HHU, aiming to provide fresh evidence and references for future research and applications.


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Experience and Enlightenment of Handheld Ultrasound Applications in Multiple Scenarios Based on 5G Technology

Show Author's information Huihui ChaiaXiaowan BoaLehang GuoaChengzhong Penga( )
Department of Medical Ultrasound and Center of Minimally Invasive Treatment for Tumor, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

Abstract

In the digital age, the miniaturization of portable ultrasound equipment has brought both opportunities and challenges to the healthcare industry. Handheld ultrasound (HHU) devices are tablet or smartphone-sized scanners that are highly portable, have lower costs, produce no harmful side effects, and consume less power, making them suitable for use in different environments. HHU devices are primarily designed for new users of ultrasound scanners with varying backgrounds to evaluate different structures of the human body in various clinical settings. HHU applications based on Fifth-generation (5G) wireless network communication and artificial intelligence (AI) technology provide new healthcare solutions. The main application scenarios for HHU devices currently include in-hospital use, remote medical treatment, emergency rescue, and home monitoring. These scenarios allow for rapid image acquisition and real-time image interpretation, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare, reducing medical costs, and improving the allocation and utilization of medical resources. However, there remain some technical challenges and weaknesses such as device safety, data privacy, and network stability. With the continuous integration of AI technology, HHU applications will find wider use and promotion, bringing about more opportunities and challenges to the healthcare industry. This article reviews the application experience and insights of 5G technology in the field of HHU, aiming to provide fresh evidence and references for future research and applications.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Healthcare, Handheld ultrasound, Multi-scenario application, 5G technology

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Publication history

Received: 10 April 2023
Revised: 14 May 2023
Accepted: 14 June 2023
Published: 30 December 2023
Issue date: December 2023

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© AUDT 2023

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The authors would like to express gratitude to all colleagues who have assisted us during the course of this work.

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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided that the original work is properly attributed.

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